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Delhi, Louisiana facts for kids

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Not to be confused with Delhi, India.
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Delhi, Louisiana
City
Town of Delhi
Delhi City Hall
Delhi City Hall
Location of Delhi in Richland Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Delhi in Richland Parish, Louisiana.
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Location of Louisiana in the United States
Country United States
State Louisiana
Parish Richland
Government
 • Type Mayor-council
Area
 • Total 2.94 sq mi (7.62 km2)
 • Land 2.87 sq mi (7.44 km2)
 • Water 0.07 sq mi (0.19 km2)
Elevation
89 ft (27 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,622
 • Density 912.95/sq mi (352.55/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
71232
Area code(s) 318
FIPS code 22-20190
Downtown Delhi, LA IMG 0180
Downtown Delhi looking south along La 17
Abandoned theater, Delhi, LA IMG 0181
Abandoned theater in downtown Delhi
Commercial Capital Bank of Delhi, LA IMG 7335
Commercial Capital Bank is located in downtown Delhi across the street from the First Baptist Church.
First Baptist Church, Delhi, LA IMG 0189
First Baptist Church at 306 Broadway Street in downtown Delhi.
Delhi, LA, United Methodist Church IMG 7341
Delhi United Methodist Church is located across the street from Delhi High School.
Delhi, LA, High School IMG 7342
Delhi High School, with mascot "The Bears", is operated by the Richland Parish School Board.
Poverty Point Reservoir (2013) IMG 7439
Trees in the reservoir north of Poverty Point Reservoir State Park near Delhi

Delhi (/ˈdɛl.haɪ/), originally called Deerfield, is a town in Richland Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 2,622.

History

In 1890, the Delhi Institute was founded in Delhi, Louisiana; a Black private school affiliated with the A.M.E. church. Delhi Institute was renamed to Lampton College; after a 1907 fire, the campus was moved to Alexandria, Louisiana, before being absorbed sometime after 1945 by Campbell College in Jackson, Mississippi.

In the 1940s, Delhi was the center of a large natural gas boom. Numerous workers came to work in the industry. Several functioning gas fields still surround the town.

From 1968 until 1969, Delhi Fire Department was home to the now defunct Louisiana State Police - Troop O. The site was abandoned in 1969 after thirteen months' operation, with state services reverting to Troop F in Monroe.

On February 21, 1971, as part of the February 1971 Mississippi Delta tornado outbreak, Louisiana's only recorded F5 tornado struck outside of Delhi. It resulted in forty-seven deaths and was the deadliest F5 tornado to hit the United States since the Jackson, Mississippi, Candlestick Park tornado in 1966. It was the earliest confirmed F5 tornado during a year.

Geography

Delhi is located at 32°27′21″N 91°29′36″W / 32.45583°N 91.49333°W / 32.45583; -91.49333 (32.455948, -91.493345). The town lies at the confluence of U.S. Route 80 and Louisiana Highway 17, and near to Interstate 20.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2), of which 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (2.33%) is water.

The elevation of 89 ft (27 m) spared Delhi from the brunt of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 that destroyed most of the surrounding Mississippi River Delta area.

The Poverty Point Reservoir, which hosts the acclaimed Black Bear Golf Club and the Poverty Point Reservoir State Park, is located just north of Delhi on Louisiana State Highway 17 near Warden. The reservoir project was pushed to fruition by State Senator Francis C. Thompson of Delhi.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1870 186 —
1880 315 69.4%
1890 620 96.8%
1900 507 −18.2%
1910 685 35.1%
1920 980 43.1%
1930 1,043 6.4%
1940 1,192 14.3%
1950 1,861 56.1%
1960 2,514 35.1%
1970 2,887 14.8%
1980 3,290 14.0%
1990 3,169 −3.7%
2000 3,066 −3.3%
2010 2,919 −4.8%
2020 2,622 −10.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
Delhi racial composition as of 2020
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 789 30.09%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 1,727 65.87%
Native American 8 0.31%
Asian 8 0.31%
Other/Mixed 44 1.68%
Hispanic or Latino 46 1.75%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,622 people, 1,082 households, and 641 families residing in the town.

Education

Public schools in Richland Parish are operated by the Richland Parish School Board. Three campuses serve the town of Delhi - Delhi Elementary School (Grades PK-4), Delhi Middle School (Grades 5-8), and Delhi High School (Grades 9-12).

Delhi Charter School (DCS) (K-12) is an area charter school.

Notable people

  • Earl Holliman, Golden Globe award-winning film and television actor known for movies such as The Sons of Katie Elder, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and Giant and TV series Police Woman
  • Arlene Howell, Miss Louisiana USA 1958, Miss USA 1958 and television actress
  • Bnois King, jazz and blues musician, was born in Delhi
  • Bob Love, basketball player, went to high school in Delhi
  • Charles A. Marvin, judge of the Louisiana Court of Appeal for the Second Circuit from 1975 to 1999; worked as news editor at Delhi Dispatch c. 1950
  • Tim McGraw, country singer originally from Start
  • Andrew "Blueblood" McMahon, Chicago blues bass guitarist, singer and songwriter
  • Pat "Gravy" Patterson, longtime baseball coach at Louisiana Tech University
  • Steve Pylant, former sheriff of Franklin Parish and Republican departing member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, resides in Franklin Parish near Delhi
  • Johnny Robinson, 6 Time NFL All Pro, 2020 NFL Hall of Fame Inductee, 1970 Super Bowl Champion with the Kansas City Kansas City Chiefs
  • Charles and Sam Wyly, businessmen who endowed Wyly Tower of Learning at Louisiana Tech

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Delhi (Luisiana) para niños

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